Robert Oglesby Via Bulletin Gold
They are embedded in our language. We use these
expressions often. They are rich in meaning, but do you
know their source?
“The skin of my teeth”
I use this one as a test question on my teaching training
series. Did it come from the Bible or from somewhere else?
Most folks don’t know its origin, but it comes from Job
19:20. In Job’s suffering, he said, “I have escaped by the
skin of my teeth.”
That’s not a very wide margin unless you don’t brush
your teeth for weeks!
“Wolf in sheep’s clothing”
Jesus is our source on this one. The Lord was warning
his disciples not to believe false prophets. Then he said that
false prophets often “come to you in sheep’s clothing, but
inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matt. 7:15) Isn’t that a
vivid picture? Just imagine how a wolf would look if he had
a sheep skin wrapped around his body.
“Salt of the earth”
In our conversation we often refer to how good a man is.
We say he is really wonderful. Then when we want to put
the very best spin on his good qualities, we say, “He’s the
salt of the earth.” That’s what Jesus said to his disciples.
“You are the salt of the earth.”
“A drop in the bucket”
Isn’t that a strange expression? How would anyone ever
come up with that kind of language picture? Believe it or
not, we got it from the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah compared
God’s power to the power of men. To illustrate it, the
prophet said the nations are only “a drop in the bucket.” (Isa.
40:15)
This means that people are influenced by the Bible even
though they haven’t read the Bible in years. The analogies
are buried deeply within our English language, and are
used by believers and unbelievers alike.
You might remember some of these the next time you
need an opening for a Bible conversation. If someone uses
one of these expressions, ask them, “Do you know where
that expression originated?” And with that question, you
are launched into a spiritual discussion.
Groveland, FL